Water Board Backpedals on Cutbacks : Restrictions: The conservation target is trimmed from 30% to 20%, although some members fear the move is too much too soon.

In a reversal of policy that one board member compared to a yo-yo, the San Diego County Water Authority board scaled back its minimum conservation target from 30% to 20% Thursday, effective immediately, and abandoned strict water use prohibitions that would have kicked in Monday.

In a unanimous vote, the board also adopted an ordinance under which its 23 member agencies will be punished--with flow restrictions, mandatory rules and hefty surcharges--if they do not voluntarily cut their water use 20% from fiscal year 1989-90. But, as long as the agencies achieve the 20% goal, the water authority will not mandate how they do it.

Landscapers, nurserymen and a construction industry spokesman lauded the action, which they said will give San Diego County residents the freedom to use their water to best meet their individual needs.

But a few board members warned that the board was easing off too soon and leaving the county vulnerable to a sixth year of drought, should it occur. Some water authority staff members conceded that they fear their credibility with the public may be damaged by the flip-flop.

“I think we may be rushing too rapidly to reduce the short-term economic pain,” said director Michael Parrish, who represents the city of San Diego on the board. “We’re sort of like a yo-yo. . . . We seem to be changing the signals very quickly.”

The board’s action, taken largely in response to the state’s heavy March rain and snowfall, echoed a similarly optimistic decision made earlier this week by the Metropolitan Water District, which sells San Diego County 95% of its water. On Tuesday, MWD reduced its expected 50% cut to 31%.

Lester A. Snow, the County Water Authority’s general manager, said that, in the interest of striking a balance between conserving water and avoiding extreme economic hardship, he elected to seek just a 20% cutback from member agencies. To make up the additional savings required by MWD, Snow said, the authority will purchase water from the State Water Bank and will draw on local storage.

Jim Melton, a spokesman for the authority, said he hoped San Diegans grasp that a 20% cutback will still require sacrifices.

“Twenty percent doesn’t mean the drought’s over,” he said. “It’s twice as much as the 10% we asked for last summer, and we had trouble getting that.”

But Melton acknowledged that, because San Diego County had been bracing for its water supply to be cut in half, the news of the greatly improved outlook might lull some people into thinking water conservation may be little more than a passing fad.

The 20% goal, he said, “is going to be a lot more difficult to achieve than the 50%, quite frankly, because of that perception.”

Under a matrix developed by the authority earlier this year, the 20% savings goal puts the county at Stage IV, under which there are several specific recommendations. In Stage IV, the matrix suggests that county residents should water their lawns no more than twice a week and only during early-morning and evening hours. Sprinklers are permitted.

The matrix also urges citizens to capture their “warm-up” shower water in a bucket to use to flush toilets. And member agencies are asked to reduce the number of new connections allowed by 20%, unless the builder can provide a conservation offset to make up for the increased demand he will place on the system.

But all this is optional, water officials stressed. Each member agency may devise its own methods of getting to 20% reduction, as long as they are successful.

On May 15, the crackdown begins. Beginning that day, any member agency that is saving only 14% or less will receive a warning from the authority’s general manager that outlines its conservation shortfall and offers specific suggestions about how to remedy it.

Two weeks later, on June 1, the general manager may restrict the flow of water to any offending agency to ensure that it meets its 20% goal. Further, that agency will be required to adopt mandatory restrictions quite similar to the Stage IV suggestions. If it doesn’t adopt such measures within 30 days, the agency will incur surcharges that will nearly double the cost of water it buys from the authority.

Parrish wasn’t the only director who voiced worries about the wisdom of Thursday’s action. Director Philip R. Pryde of San Diego said the ordinance did not appear “to allow for any slack,” and he made an unsuccessful attempt to increase the conservation goal to 25%. Director John (Mike) Leach was similarly cautious, saying he would prefer to wait before scaling back the goal so drastically.

“If we’re going to err . . . I’d personally be more comfortable with a 30% cut until we see what happens after the snow melts,” Leach said. “I’m wondering whether we have enough insurance for the people of our region.”

But director Christine Frahm of the city of San Diego scolded her colleagues for second-guessing the authority’s staff.

“We need to be mindful of the fact that every percentage point that we mandate is going to have an effect--whether on lifestyles or economics,” she said, addressing herself to Leach. “A lot of people over-insure. The fact that you have more insurance doesn’t mean you’re better off. While I agree with the caution, more isn’t necessarily better.”

Director Cary Wright, representing the South Bay Irrigation District, agreed.

“It’s time to give the public a chance and see what they can do,” he said.

At one point, the issue of stored water was raised. Several directors asked the board to consider that member agencies that have a lot of stored water, like the city of San Diego, could opt to save 20% largely by dipping into storage. Is that allowed, several asked.

The technical answer was yes, although board chairman Michael Madigan said he did not want to see a situation under which, by “accident of geography,” some county residents were asked to cut back more than others.

“The intention here is that, if the number is 20%, then everybody is at 20%. We’re all in this together,” he said.